Lilium
Lilium is the hymnal-like opening theme for the Elfen Lied anime, where it serves an important role in several episodes. The lyrics are based around the Biblical passages in Psalms, and the Epistle of James, and the Renaissance hymn, "Ave Mundi Spes Maria", which are sung in Latin. The opening and full version is performed by Kumiko Noma. Lilium is composed by MOKA. MOKA is a two-person musician group that consists of Yukio Kondo (male) and Kayo Konishi (female). They jointly arranged the lyrics and composed it. The anime director Kanbe made a sole request to MOKA that the opening theme should be a religious music and this was the background why MOKA chose the lyrics from the Biblical texts etc. Kayo Konishi explains the reason why MOKA chose Latin lyrics as follows. While she studied at a mission school she sang hymns in Latin and she liked the sounds that the language had. So she wanted to make the opening theme "Lilium" like a contemporary Gregorian hymn. Kanbe is also known for his personal likings for Gustav Klimt. He used the idea for his another anime later again. In the anime, the song is played by Kouta's music box. There are other versions and arrangements as well. In the anime, Kouta and Lucy first meet together as young children, and he shows her a music box that plays this theme, which she is fascinated by. Years later, when she is using her powers to kill some attacking soldiers, she hums this theme, which is among the things that trigger the return of his memories concerning the trauma she caused him out of a jealousy-induced misunderstanding. Since Nozomi never appears in the anime, Kaede/Lucy/Nyu never learns the song, Elfenlied. In the novel Wolfbreed, which was inspired by Elfen Lied, the Psalms used in Lilium are used at the beginning of each chapter. A PDF with the sheet music can be found here : http://sebastianwolff.info/download/elfen-lied/Elfen%20Lied%20-%20Lilium.pdf See also : Manga Vs. Anime Versions Lilium is played in three versions in the anime and in one famous fanon version: Video:Elfen Lied-Lilium (Full version)|Original Lyrics Version Video:Elfen Lied - Lilium (Music Box)|Music box version Video:Lilium - Saint Version HD|Saint Version Video:Lilium - MOKA Version (still image)|MOKA version (Fan-made/Fanon) Lyrics Original lyrics (latin): Os iusti Meditabitur sapientiam Et lingua eius Loquetur iudicium Beatus vir qui Suffert tentationem Quoniam cum probatus fuerit Accipiet coronam vitae Kyrie, fons Bonitatis Kyrie, Ignis Divine, eleison O quam Sancta Quam Serena Quam Benigna Quam Amoena Esse virgo creditur O quam Sancta Quam Serena Quam Benigna Quam Amoena O Castitatis Lilium English lyrics translations: The mouth of the just shall meditate wisdom And his tongue shall speak judgement Blessed is he who endures temptation Since he, who shall have been tested, shall receive the crown of life Lord, fountain of goodness Lord, fire divine, have mercy Oh how sacred, How serene, How kind, How lovely, To be the trusted Virgin Oh how sacred, how serene, how kind, how lovely, Oh, lily of chastity Trivia *The gorgeously animated opening used while Lilium is playing is the work of noted animator Rin Shin, using the paintings of Gustav Klimt as the basis. * The Yuka painting is based on the famous painting: Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer. The painting was stolen by the Nazis following the annexation of Austria, where the Jewish Bauer family lived. In 2006 the painting sold for 135 million dollars, making it the most expensive painting ever sold to that point in time, although more expensive sales have happened since. *The MOKA version is a self-cover of the Opening Theme by the female member of MOKA, Kayo Konishi. It was released as one of the songs for her own CD that was released in Nov. 2006. The MOKA version has nothing to do with the anime and was never used in the anime that was originally broadcast in 2004 or 2005. *With 3 different variations used in the series, Lilium is by far the most frequently used melody in the Elfen Lied soundtrack and acts as a leitmotif for Lucy. * If you listen carefully in the first episode,at the begining, as Lucy is walking out of the cage that held her, she is silently humming the main melody of lilium. However, this is very easy to miss and might need you to turn the volume up to hear it. Gallery DSC01341.JPG|Lucy in the Lilium opening credits DSC01340.JPG|Kouta in the Lilium opening credits DSC01339.JPG|Nana in the Lilium opening credits MayuOP.jpg|Mayu in the Lilium opening credits DSC01334.JPG|Yuka in the Lilium opening credits DSC01343.JPG|Kouta holding the Lilium Music Box 小西香葉b6b0bd11f6cfd7564780479b847be9c8.jpg|Kayo Konishi Category:Music Category:Anime Category:Elfen Lied Creators